Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-11-03
THE RAPIDS CANAL.
Eugene lewis Gives His Views on
the sabjeci-Certainiy very Well
for Moline. AT any RATE.

Eugene lewis Gives His Views ON
the sahjeci-Certainiy very Well
for MaIIae. at any Rate.
Mr.. Eugene Lewis. of Moline, has been
ventilatlng his views through the Daven
port papers, on The proposed lateral canal
on the upper rapids. The ARGUS has
spoken of a survey being made, with this
end IN view before, and AS general i'm
provement To commerce, lent its common
dation to the enterprise, but in endorsing
such a contemplated benefit to the inland
waterway commerce. it did not consider
for moment that individual Interests
alone would be subserved The ARGUS
is not booming Moline alone .or advocat-
log matters which only look to the ad-
vancement of one city. The tone of Mr.
Lewis epistle would seem to infer that in
the lateral canals construction Moline
was the first and chief object to be cons
sidered. In his letter Mr.. Lewis says:
I'VE are not prepared to deny that this
lateral canal would add greatly to the ad
vantage aud feasibility of the WaiertOwn
route for the Hennepin canal. But we do
say that it will tend to overcome the
| gravest objections to the Milan route,
| which in the existing state of navigation,
| would be worth something to shippers at
| and above the head of Rock Island, NOV
| ing freight toward Chicago, but would be
| practically valueless to shippers bringing
freight from Chicago westward, and 1t
may help to understand the feeling of
Moline toward the Milan route, when we
| remember that she brings about eight tons
of canal freight from Chicago and the
east to each ton shipped toward Chicago,
So again in reference to a canal by the
Marias d'Osier route, which to shippers
from the foot of the island toward Chicago
would have little value. The only oh
| lection TO this route with lateral canal
would be the greater distance to and from
Chicago. The choice of routes with the
lateral canal would only depend upon
distance, cost and lockage.
| I'VE admit that with the lateral canal
the Marias 'Osier route would be prefer
able for the uppe: river from st Paul to
Clinton, or even to Albany, Ill, and that
the Watertown would be better for the
town from Albany to Rock Island and
Davenport, the Rock Island arsenal aud
The towns along tie river to kcokuk
while the Milan route would be much
more advantageous to Milan and the owns
| Of .cta
and possibly to owners of real estate in
the extreme southwest part of Rock ISL
and, as well as to the thrifty towns along
Rock river from Milan to Cleveland The
question of avoiding the Rock Island
rapids must come up eventually, and il
the HennepIn canal will come up, il
should be begun at once. There are but
three ways to do this:
81 By damming the river at the hesC
river below by the water power pool, OF
by canal in the main river and by ,
: lateral canal from point near Campbell.
, island to Rapids City.
- By lateral canal.
%. BY improving Rock river to Pen
ney's slough and cutting canal from
= Rock river through the MeredOsia, to thu
Mississippi near Albany, Ill,
, The prejudice against the first plan i
too great to allow it TO be considered
Which CT the two last will Davenport an
d Rock Island prefer, the route which keep
. the river traffic passing by their doors q
the route that will leave them on pln
three miles away from the main line 4
the river traffic aud leave Moline out i
S the cold entirely: The Meredosia cana
d and Rock river would be from seven /
:. ten miles longer ard much more tXpen
sive One or the other will he chosen i
) the next ten years. Which will Dayel
e port and Rock Island choose2
e Moline will hold up both hands fl
I the direct line, as will Hampton, Pc
Byron. LeClaire and the upper and low,
river from the gull to ST. Paul"